Daddy's Little Girl
by This Charade
Summary: Kio has a secret he hasn't told Soubi. He has a wife and a daughter and they are coming to visit. Oneshot. Written before Kio's family was introduced. Now AU. Implied onesided KioxSoubi


A/N This is my first Loveless fic. On Wikipedia, it says that Kio lives with his grandmother, mother, wife, and daughter. When I read that, I had to write this.

**Disclaimer: **I own Loveless vol. 1-7 but I don't own the rights to any of it

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**Daddy's Little Girl**

Kio's brush gracefully traced the pale pink edge of the figure adding a shockingly realistic shadow, without losing the distinctly Japanese flare. With a crunch of his lollipop, He sat back to look at is progress. As always he found himself turning to the blond working at his side. "Sou-chan, what do you think."

Soubi took a quick glance out of the corner of his eye. "It's a ballerina."

"You can tell?" Kio gleamed sarcastically. "Really, is it any good?"

Soubi took a real look the second time before his spoke. "One of you best. I can see how much work you put into it, though the subject wouldn't have been my first choice." He glanced back at his own canvas, which depicted a stylized still life, their most recent assignment. "You really should get started on what you have to do Kio." He turned back to his brushes, dipping a long narrow one in a reddish purple ink.

"You're one to talk Sou-chan! Your the biggest procrastinator in the school" Kio laughed, the sliver of his lollipop almost falling out of his mouth. With a deep breath He composed himself and went back to work. His entire manner underwent a change as he lifted the bamboo brush. His shoulders relaxed and his head held itself more steadily. The nonchalant expression in his eyes turned almost instantaneously to one of fierce determination.

A silence followed in the studio. The two friends worked undisturbed, which was greatly appreciated by both artists. It was almost 6pm on a Saturday and most of the other students who frequented this particular studio were off having fun. Kio knew why Soubi was here. He hadn't been in the studio all day, for reasons that Kio preferred not to think about, not wanting to invoke jealousy, and more so, disgust. As for himself, Kio had to finish this picture before-

Suddenly, the traditional melody of Sakura was heard from across the studio. Both men looked up, then Kio leaped up and jolted across the room to his bag, pulling out his cell phone. Soubi's face twisted into a slightly confused stare. Kio's normal ring-tone was some bouncy candy-pop from Katamari Damacy. In fact, Soubi had never heard this ring before from Kio's phone. By the time Soubi had collected his thoughts Kio was out of the room.

Though Soubi rarely respected anyone's privacy, he decided it wasn't worth the effort to listen from the doorway. Kio wasn't the kind to keep secrets.

"See you soon," Kio said handing up his phone as he re-entered the studio. He grabbed his half zipped bag and flung it over his shoulder. "I'm going home for the night Sou-chan. See you tomorrow." He headed toward the door.

"Who are you meeting?" the blond inquired.

"Just a friend," came the casual response. Kio picked up the piece he was working on and left before Soubi could get in another word.

Kio's apartment was in walking distance of the school. It was in a rather large building with well over 150 small flats. It wasn't all that nice of a place, but the rent was cheap, and living off an art students budget didn't leave much room for luxury. Walking carefully so not to damage the drying canvas, Kio made his way around the corner and onto the street where he lived. He took a deep breath, unsure if he was exited or nervous. _Probably some twisted combination of both,_ he thought. As the apartment building came into view his pace quickened. His thoughts sped up with his feet. His room was a mess. It had to be cleaned. There was no food in the house. Was she bringing dinner? He hadn't seen either of them in over a month. He felt a horrible sinking feeling in his stomach as he ascended the stairs. "You're really bad at this" he told himself aloud.

Turning the key, Kio wanted nothing more than to collapse on his bed with a pack of beer and sleep the evening away. Instead he lay the canvas down carefully in the corner facing the wall and started tossing the dirty laundry into a basket whose original purpose was to transport paintings. He anxiously checked the refrigerator and cursed silently under his breath as it revealed only junk food and alcohol. "I'm a great example, aren't I?" he asked the air. He pivoted and surveyed the room. It looked mildly presentable now, but Kio's eyes still frantically searched out something else that needed to be straighted or tidied up before they arrived. He glanced up at the digital clock on his nightstand. 18:29. They'd be here any second. Until that time, Kio couldn't seem to find anything to do but stare at the door in nervous anticipation.

Finally a knock came and artist dashed across the room to open the door. In the entrance way stood a young woman with long black hair flowing down past her shoulders, she wore a well kept skirt-suit and small heels. At her side was a toddler in a leotard and tu-tu.

"Daddy!" The toddler squealed.

"I missed you, Suki," Kio said kneeling down to give her a hug. He looked up and smiled at the woman, who he now noticed held a brown take-out bag in her arms. "Come on in."

"I picked her up from dance right from an interview." The woman said, placing the bag down on the kitchen table.

"Interview for what?" Kio asked watching his daughter twirl around the room.

"For a university. I'm going back to school, Kio." She said proudly.

"Gina! That's great!"

"Your mother finally convinced me to leave Suki with her during the day and get back to my education." Gina smiled. "We miss you."

"Daddy. Daddy, watch this" Suki spun around on the ball of her foot and stumbled falling into her fathers arms.

"That's great sweetie." Kio said in an quick embrace.

"I brought hamburgers," Gina commented, placing the brown bag on the floor. "You know, from the place across from the dance studio."

Kio strained to remember,_You'd know if you picked her up more than once_ he told himself, trying not to show his embarrassment.

"It's all she's been eating nowadays. Maybe you can get her to try something a little healthier." Gina continued.

Kio laughed ashamed with himself. "Maybe some other time, I'm kinda out of food." Gina sighed and knelt down to open the paper bag. "I have a table you know," Kio pointed out.

"Right." She picked up the takeout bag and walked it over to the miniature kitchen and placed it on the small table that looked as if it had been stolen from a fast food restaurant. "I see you cleaned up for us." She said eying the makeshift laundry bin on the other side of the room.

Kio smiled, blushing. "I guess I did." He fished around in his pocket and pulled out a lollipop, offering it to his daughter who had been twirling around the flat.

"Not before dinner, Kio." Gina corrected him.

"Of course." he muttered to himself. _I can't even get it right when I do see her._

He only had two chairs so he offered to stand, but Gina insisted he sit. He felt uncomfortable letting her stand while he sat down, but she persisted and he didn't want to start an argument tonight. He food was of rather poor quality, and Kio found himself longing for Soubi's cooking as he ate, but of course he said nothing. Suki ate her burger with small bites and seemed to savor ever piece of it. That was what mattered, wasn't it?

They ate in relative silence, mostly because the little girl's mouth the constantly full of over-fried meat, that and the two adults had little to say to each other. Finally, Kio broke the silence. "So where are you looking to go to school?"

"I don't really know yet." Well that conversation really took off. After a bit more quite, Gina spoke again. "What have you been working on, Mr. Artist?"

"Oh," Kio jumped out of his seat and rushed to the corner and grabbed the painting of the ballerina. He brought it back to the table more slowly, hoping with each step that his daughter would like it, and that perhaps it would justify to Gina his being away from home, somehow. He turned it around with a weak 'tada' and a goofy smile.

Suki squealed. "It's so pretty, Daddy."

Kio sighed with relief. "It's for you."

"Really?" Suki's eyes were eager.

"Really."

"It's one of your best, Kio." Gina added. Just what Soubi had said.

"You like it?"

"Didn't I just say I did?" Gina chuckled.

"I guess. It isn't quite dry yet so be careful with it." Kio said.

"Can I have that lollipop now Mommy?" Came Suki's little voice. Gina nodded and Kio produced the candy and unwrapped it for his daughter.

Gina took a deep breath and bent over until she was the same height as Suki sitting down on the chair. "Mommy and Daddy have to talk for a little, okay?"

This was the part of the evening that Kio had dreaded. The Talk. He knew what it was going to be about and he knew it would degrade into him apologizing for everything he had done in the past 4 years, again. The two adults walked into the main part of the room and stood in the corner where the painting had been.

"When are you coming home?" Gina said quietly so the child sitting at the table would not hear. "And when are you getting a job? Your mother can't support all of us forever." Kio just looked down and let her continue like he knew she would. "Suki misses you, I miss you, your mother and grandmother miss you."

"How is Grandmother?" Kio tried to change the topic. He twisted his foot as he spoke, hardly looking up at her.

"She fine. She is getting old, but she is doing fine. Kio, answer the questions." Her voice was stern.

"I have to finish school. You know how important it is to me," He looked up. "Gina," he started, then stopped.

"What." She replied curtly

"I-" _I want to live my life_. He knew he couldn't say what he felt. "I'm sorry I am so bad at this."

"Then don't be. Try. You are a great person, a loving person. You just need to try harder. Put your family on your list of priorities for once." She was getting upset and her voice was getting a little to loud. Kio put his finger to his lips to quite her. "Sorry." She whispered. "It's just. We need you, and you are her father. The least you could do is be there for her, even if it isn't for me."

Kio's face went dropped. He felt horrible about himself, about the mistakes he had made, and the fact that there was nothing he could do about them. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. I am tired of hearing you apologize. What's done is done."

"This is all my fault. I'm an idiot." Kio couldn't look her in the eyes. It was going exactly how he thought it would, bringing back all the memories he tried to forget during the day.

"Kio, please."

Just then there was a knock at the door. Kio froze.

"Daddy, someone's here." Suki chimed in.

"Answer it." Gina demanded. Kio took a deep breath. He knew who it was, and no matter how much he longed to see the man's long blond hair and beautiful face, he wished the Soubi could have waited a little longer. He opened the door and there he was holding a box of paints. It had started to rain outside and Soubi's hair was drenched. He looked almost angelic.

"Hi Sou-chan." Kio said hesitantly.

"Sou-chan?" Gina questioned quietly.

"You forgot your paints." Soubi said looking around Kio's one room apartment, that looked remarkably clean.

Just then, Suki came out from the kitchen and tugged on her dad's pants. "Who's that Daddy?" Kio's face went red.

"Daddy?" Soubi said quizzically. Kio sighed.

"Go on, introduce us." It was Gina.

"Soubi, this is my wife, Gina, and my daughter, Suki." He spoke quietly into his chest. "Gina, Suki, this is my friend, Soubi."

"We better be going." Gina said going over and grabbing her daughter by the hand.

"Don't forget Daddy's picture, Mommy." Suki looked up at her mother.

"Right." Gina walked over and picked up the painting that was sitting on Kio's chair. She returned and retook the girl's hand. "Let's go, Suki." They walked to the door.

"Is Daddy coming to see me dance soon?" The child asked.

"Of course, sweetie. I'll see you dance soon." Kio said. He could feel the stinging of tears in his nose.

"Promise?"

"I promise." With that the two left, leaving the artists alone. For a while there was silence. "Let me explain." Kio finally said walking over to his bed and settling down. Soubi followed, stood across from him and said nothing. "It's a long story."

Soubi checked his phone and then looked up. "I have time."

"I was 18, four years ago and-" He took a deep breath. "You don't know my family at all do you? I guess I have to start further back. My mother is a convert from Catholicism. I was raised my whole life thinking homosexuality was a sin-"

"Does your mother know that-"

"No, I haven't told her. So you can imagine how confused I was as a teenager. I dated girls and secretly crushed on guys. I hated myself for it. Every day I told myself it was a sin, just a rebellious faze I was going through, that I just need to find the right girl." Soubi could see that Kio was getting upset as he spoke. "When I was 18, I was desperate. I met Gina and I thought that maybe, just maybe, she was the one. At the graduation party I told myself I would find out once and for all who I was. We both got drunk that night and I took her upstairs into an empty room and-" A tear rolled down Kio's cheek. "The whole time I could only think of this gorgeous guy in my math class." he banged his hand on the side of the bed. It hurt but not as much as telling this story to Soubi. "I drank until I passed out that night. Two months later, Gina tells me that she is pregnant. it all happened so fast. I didn't believe her. I told that she couldn't be. I was already going to school. I told her everything and she broke down sobbing. She loved me. She might still for all I know." He stopped to wipe a tear from his eye.

"And your mother forced you to get married?" Soubi guessed. Kio nodded.

"When Suki was born, It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen." He smiled through his tears. "I vowed I would be a good father, that I wouldn't leave them, ever. I've done a terrible job." he looked down at the floor again. "You think I am a horrible person, don't you Soubi."

Soubi sat down on the bed next to his friend. "No, Kio, I don't. And I think you could be a great father if you wanted to be."

"Really?"

"I've seen the way you act around Ritsuka. You're a caring person. I'd trust you with Ritsuka faster then I'd trust anyone else."

"You would?" It was disturbing to hear Soubi talk about Ritsuka as if he were responsible for him, though it was partly true. Never the less, Soubi's words were comforting.

"Yea, I would." Soubi got up and walked to the refrigerator. "Want a drink?"

"That would be great."

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A/N I hope my reference to Catholicism didn't offend anyone. I know not all Catholics believe homosexuality is a sin. Hope you enjoyed it. 


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